First-principles study of the elastic and thermodynamic properties of thorium hydrides at high pressure

The high pressure behaviors of Th_4H_(15) and ThH_2 are investigated by using the first-principles calculations based on the density functional theory(DFT). From the energy–volume relations, the bct phase of ThH_2 is more stable than the fcc phase at ambient conditions. At high pressure, the bct ThH_2 and bcc Th_4H(15) phases are more brittle than they are at ambient pressure from the calculated elastic constants and the Poisson ratio. The thermodynamic stability of the bct phase ThH_2 is determined from the calculated phonon dispersion. In the pressure domain of interest, the phonon dispersions of bcc Th_4H(15) and bct ThH_2 are positive, indicating the dynamical stability of these two phases, while the fcc ThH_2 is unstable. The thermodynamic properties including the lattice vibration energy, entropy, and specific heat are predicted for these stable phases. The vibrational free energy decreases with the increase of the temperature, and the entropy and the heat capacity are proportional to the temperature and inversely proportional to the pressure. As the pressure increases, the resistance to the external pressure is strengthened for Th_4H_(15) and ThH_2.     

Magnetic phase diagram of single-layer CrBr3

We theoretically provide a magnetic phase diagram for the single-layer (SL) CrBr₃, which could be effectively tuned by both strain engineering and charge doping in SL-CrBr₃. Through systematical first-principles calculations and Heisenberg model Hamiltonian simulations, three different magnetic phases in SL-CrBr₃, which are off-plane ferromagnetic, in-plane ferromagnetic and in-plane Néel-antiferromagnetic phases, are found in the strain and charge doping regimes we studied. Furthermore, our results show that higher order Heisenberg exchange parameters and anisotropy exchange parameters should be taken into account for accurately illustrating the magnetic phase transition in SL-CrBr₃. As a result, we find from the SpinW simulation that the Curie temperature is about T_c=38.4 K, which is well consistent with the experimental result 34 K[Nano Lett. 19 3138 (2019)]. The findings here may be confirmed in future experiments, and may be useful for the potential applications of SL-CrBr₃ in spintronics field.     

Computer-assisted analysis and calculation of phase diagrams of the Fe---Cr---O, Fe---Ni---O and Cr---Ni---O systems

Available thermodynamic and phase equilibrium data for the Fe---Cr---O, Fe---Ni---O and Cr---Ni---O systems are assessed and equations for the free energies of the phases as functions of composition and temperature are derived. With these mathematical expressions and with a computer program written for the purpose, phase diagram sections at constant temperature, or at constant log p_O2, or at constant P_co/P_co2 or p_H2/P_H2O ratios can be calculated at all compositions and over a wide range of temperature and oxygen potential. The representation and analysis of the phase equilibria are greatly facilitated through the use of isothermal log P_O2-composition phase diagrams which are discussed in some detail. Structural models for the spinel phases are examined.     

Emergent O(4) symmetry at the phase transition from plaquette-singlet to antiferromagnetic order in quasi-two-dimensional quantum magnets

Recent experiments [Guo et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 124 206602(2020)] on thermodynamic properties of the frustrated layered quantum magnet SrCu_2(BO_3)_2-the Shastry–Sutherland material-have provided strong evidence for a lowtemperature phase transition between plaquette-singlet and antiferromagnetic order as a function of pressure. Further motivated by the recently discovered unusual first-order quantum phase transition with an apparent emergent O(4) symmetry of the antiferromagnetic and plaquette-singlet order parameters in a two-dimensional "checkerboard J-Q" quantum spin model[Zhao et al., Nat. Phys. 15 678(2019)], we here study the same model in the presence of weak inter-layer couplings. Our focus is on the evolution of the emergent symmetry as the system crosses over from two to three dimensions and the phase transition extends from strictly zero temperature in two dimensions up to finite temperature as expected in SrCu_2(BO_3)_2.Using quantum Monte Carlo simulations, we map out the phase boundaries of the plaquette-singlet and antiferromagnetic phases, with particular focus on the triple point where these two ordered phases meet the paramagnetic phase for given strength of the inter-layer coupling. All transitions are first-order in the neighborhood of the triple point. We show that the emergent O(4) symmetry of the coexistence state breaks down clearly when the interlayer coupling becomes sufficiently large, but for a weak coupling, of the magnitude expected experimentally, the enlarged symmetry can still be observed at the triple point up to significant length scales. Thus, it is likely that the plaquette-singlet to antiferromagnetic transition in SrCu_2(BO_3)_2 exhibits remnants of emergent O(4) symmetry, which should be observable due to additional weakly gapped Goldstone modes.     

单层二硫化钼多相性质及相变的第一性原理研究

本文基于密度泛函的第一性原理,并引入范德瓦耳斯力修正,研究了单层二硫化钼2H,1T,ZT三种相的电学性质及相变原理.首先通过结构弛豫确定了三种相的几何结构,能带和态密度计算证实1T相具有金属性质,ZT相具有半导体性质,带隙为0.01 eV.然后结合变形势理论计算了2H和ZT相的迁移率,ZT相的迁移率高达104cm~2·V~(-1)·s~(-1),进一步拓展了单层二硫化钼的应用范围.最后通过对比三种相吸附锂原子结合能,计算2H-1T相变能量曲线,解释了引起二硫化钼相变的原因.本文的研究结果将对单层二硫化钼实验制备表征以及相关光电器件性能分析提供重要参考.     

Phase segregation of LixMn2O4 (0.6<x<1) in non-equilibrium reduction processes

Chemical synthesis routes to Li_xMn₂O₄ (0.15≤x≤1) in non-equilibrium reduction processes were developed to carry out detailed structural analysis. Non-equilibrium Li_xMn₂O₄ (0.15≤x≤1) samples were prepared by chemical lithiation of λ-MnO₂ with LiI for 24 h; longer than 1 week was needed to reach true equilibrium at room temperature. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis. The phase diagram was different from that in the equilibrium state; three cubic phases (phases A, B and C) were observed for Li_xMn₂O₄ (0.15≤x≤1). There were two regions of two-phase coexistence: the region of 0.25<x<0.55 (phase B+phase C) and 0.6<x<1.0 (phase A+phase B). In the compositional range of 0.6<x<1.0, the lattice constants of phases A and B change with the lithium composition, this indicates that it is a structural anomaly with a metastable two-phase character in non-equilibrium reduction processes.     

AgI(α-Fe2O3)复合离子导体相转变温度相互影响的研究

通过测量AgI(α-Fe₂O₃)复合离子导体的直流和交流电导率,发现α-Fe₂O₃的Morin转变温度随着AgI含量的增加而降低,电导率测量的结果与磁化率测量和M?ssbauer谱测量结果定性的符合。α-Fe₂O₃也使AgI的α→β相转变温度显著下降。结果表明复合离子导体二相材料各自存在的相转变温度彼此产生影响。 关键词：     

Mg-Sn-Si系合金的热力学基础及合金相演变过程分析

研究了Mg-Sn-Si系合金的热力学基础及合金相的演变过程. 结果表明: 对于Mg-Sn-Si系合金, 合金相的比热容随着温度增加而增加, 在低温下变化迅速, 而在高温下变化平缓, 其热膨胀系数在低温范围内随温度升高呈指数形式增加, 而在高温范围内呈线性增大. 在Mg₂ (Si_x, Sn_1-x)、Mg₂ (Sn_x, Si_1-x)相结构中, Sn(Si)原子的取代位置不固定, 可以是面心, 也可以是顶点. 常规凝固过程中, 由于处于非平衡状态, x的取值范围有所波动, 对于Mg₂ (Si_x, Sn_1-x)和Mg₂ (Sn_x, Si_1-x) 两种结构, x的取值范围在0.25或0.75附近. Mg₂ (Si, Sn)的生成温度较高, 可从液相中直接析出, 也可由Mg₂Si转化而来, 而Mg₂ (Sn, Si)的生成温度较低, 只能从基体中析出, 随着Sn含量的增加, 开始析出Mg₂ (Sn, Si)相的温度升高.     

纳米晶ZrO2：Dy3+的光致发光和能量传递性质

研究了Dy³⁺离子掺杂的ZrO₂纳米粉体的光致发光性质。观测到Dy³⁺离子的室温强特征发射和浓度猝灭现象以及基质ZrO₂与Dy³⁺离子之间的能量传递过程。发现了煅烧温度对样品的晶相有明显的影响,随着煅烧温度的变化,晶相也随之改变。晶相的改变使样品的荧光发射产生较大的差异,并观测到两个发射中心。通过对荧光强度与激活离子Dy³⁺离子浓度的关系研究发现,Dy³⁺离子在纳米ZrO₂基质中存在浓度猝灭现象,最佳掺杂浓度取决于ZrO₂基质的晶相,不同晶相导致不同的猝灭浓度,当基质晶相表现为四方相时,猝灭浓度为0.5%,而基质晶相为混合相时,猝灭浓度为1%。能量传递也依赖于样品的晶相。当煅烧温度为950℃时能量传递效果最好,并且从微观结构上给出了解释基质与Dy³⁺离子之间的能量传递的模型。     

Pressure-induced phase transition of B-type Y_2O_3

The synthesized monoclinic(B-type) phase of Y_2O_3 has been investigated by in situ angle-dispersive x-ray diffraction in a diamond anvil cell up to 44 GPa at room temperature. A phase transition occurs from monoclinic(B-type) to hexagonal(A-type) phase at 23.5 GPa and these two phases coexist even at the highest pressure. Parameters of isothermal equation of state are V_0= 69.0(1) ~3, K_0= 159(3) GPa, K_0= 4(fixed) for the B-type phase and V_0= 67.8(2) ~3, K_0= 156(3) GPa,K'_0= 4(fixed) for the A-type phase. The structural anisotropy increases with increasing pressure for both phases.     

非晶Ni-P合金的晶化相

利用电镜双倾台倾转Ni₁₂P₅晶体以及对Vafaei-Makhsoos发表的数据的分析,证实了由他所提出的三个新的Ni₃P相并不存在。从而澄清了非晶Ni-P合金在加热过程中总共有七个晶化相析出:α=5.48?的面心立方亚稳相α,由此相转变生成的六角多型体α₁,α₂,α₃亚稳相,体心四方Ni₁₂P₅相,体心四方Ni₃P相及Ni固溶体。 关键词：     

Oxygen nonstoichiometry and high temperature conductivity of the 2201 phase of the Bi---Sr---Cu---O superconducting oxide

The oxygen nonstoichiometry and high temperature conductivity of Bi_2.12Sr_1.86Cu_1.02O_y (2201 phase) were determined as a function of temperature (T) and oxygen partial pressure (P_O2). The dependences of conductivity on T and P_O2 were similar to those of oxygen content, and two subphases, and β, were found in such cases as 2212 and 2223 phases. From the result a close relationship was inferred between conductivity and oxygen content, and the mobility and carrier density were calculated. The carrier density of 2201 phase was smaller than those of the 2212 and 2223 phases.     

过渡金属硼碳化物TM_3B_3C和TM_4B_3C_2稳定性和性能的理论计算

在过渡金属轻元素化合物中,寻找新的硬质或者超硬材料是当前的一个研究热点.目前寻找范围多集中在过渡金属硼化物、碳化物和氮化物等二元体系,三元相的研究则相对较少.本文以已知Nb_3B_3C和Nb_4B_3C_2结构为模板,采用元素替代法构建了29种TM_3B_3C (TM为过渡金属元素)结构和29种TM_4B_3C_2结构,采用基于密度泛函理论的第一性原理计算方法,成功找到了热力学、动力学以及力学都稳定的Ta_3B_3C和Ta4B_3C2两种新相.结构搜索计算确认了这两相为全局能量最优结构.能带结构和态密度的计算显示这两相均为导体,导电性主要源于Ta原子的d电子.这两种新相的硬度大约为26 GPa,说明Ta_3B_3C和Ta_4B_3C_2属于高硬度材料,但不是超硬材料.     

Epitaxial growth and thermostability of cubic and hexagonal SrMnO3 films on SrTiO3(111)

The growth of SrMnO₃ films on SrTiO₃(111) substrates by pulsed laser deposition was studied and found to produce cubic and hexagonal (4H) structures in the SrMnO₃ films. By adjusting the substrate temperature and oxygen pressure, the stability of the two phases was fine-tuned, resulting in the growth of cubic-SrMnO₃(111) or 4H-SrMnO₃(0001) film, with the 4H phase being the more stable at room temperature and ambient pressure in the bulk form. The growth temperature of the cubic phase was also further lowered relative to the bulk thermodynamics by strain at the heterointerface, and once obtained, it was stable at temperatures of up to 800 °C.     

Phase behavior of mixed polyoxyethylene-type nonionic surfactants in water

Cloud temperatures, phase behavior, and the structures of liquid crystals were investigated in the aqueous systems of homogenous hexaethylene glycol dodecyl ether(C₁₂EO₆) and mixed C₁₂EO₄-C₁₂EO₈, C₁₂EO₂-EO₈, C₁₂EO₂-C₁₂EO₈, and C₁₂EO₀-C₁₂EO₈ In the mixed surfactant systems, the average polyoxyethylene- (EO-) chain lengths are kept constants, the same as C₁₂EO₆. The change in cloud temperatures is small in all the systems, whereas the phase behavior is successively changed with increasing the difference in EO-chain length in the mixture. Lamellar liquid crystal is developed in the phase diagrams and it intrudes in the two-phase region above the cloud temperature. Hence, the phase pattern of the present mixed surfactant systems resembles that of C₁₂EO₅ system, but both cloud point and W+L region appear at much higher temperature. Hence, the Hydrophile-Lipophile Balance of the surfactant is not largely changed by mixing the surfactants but the SAXS results show that the surfactant molecules are more tightly packed in the hexagonal and lamellar phases by mixing. It is considered that when surfactants of different EO-chain lengths are mixed, the considerable reduction in repulsion between the hydrophilic moieties takes place and the surfactant molecules are more tightly packed.     

NbSi2奇异高压相及其热力学性质的第一性原理研究

采用基于粒子群优化算法的结构预测程序CALYPSO, 并结合第一性原理的VASP程序, 在175 GPa发现NbSi₂的奇异立方高压相. 在此结构中, Nb原子形成金刚石结构, 而Si原子则形成正四面体镶嵌在金刚石结构中. 声子谱计算结果表明该结构是动力学稳定的. 电子结构分析表明, 六角相和立方相NbSi₂均为金属, 对金属性贡献较大的是Nb原子, 而且Nb和Si原子之间存在明显的p-d杂化现象, 电荷更多地聚集在Si四面体中. 利用“应力应变”方法, 计算了NbSi₂的弹性常数, 分析了其体积模量、剪切模量、杨氏模量和德拜温度等热动力学性质随压力的变化并进行了详细的讨论. 根据剪切模量和体积模量的比值分析了NbSi₂两种相结构的脆性和延展性, 发现压力会导致六角相NbSi₂的延展性增加, 但对立方相结构的延展性影响较小; 采用经验算法计算了NbSi₂两种相结构硬度变化情况, 结合这一比值进行了详细的分析. 弹性各向异性计算结果表明, 随着压力增加, 六角结构的各向异性增强, 而立方结构的各向异性减小.     

SrNb2O6-NaNbO3-LiNbO3赝三元系相图的研究

本文用X射线衍射、热处理及差热分析等方法测定了SrNb₂O₆-NaNbO₃-LiNbO₃赝三元系的室温截面及相应的SrNb₂O₆-NaNbO₃,SrNb₂O₆-LiNbO₃和NaNbO₃-LiNbO₃等三个赝二元系相图;粗略地研究了Sr_0.42Na_0.16NbO₃-LiNbO₃系的纵截面;含5mol％LiNbO₃及10mol％LiNbO₃的SrNb₂O₆-NaNbO₃的纵截面。确定了室温Sr₂Na(NbO₃)₅(以下略为S₂N)相为四方钨青铜结构。其点阵常数为a=12.36?,c=3.906?.LiNbO₃在S₂N相内的溶解度可达～10mol％,当LiNbO₃含量超过5mol％时,S₂N相畸变为S₂N′相。S₂N′相为正交晶系。实验确定室温S₂N(S₂N′)相系亚稳相。在900-1100℃长时间退火即分解为SrNb₂O₆和以NaNbO₃为基的固溶体的混合物。 关键词：     

Double peak behavior of resistivity curves in Cd doped LaMnO3 perovskite systems

The effect of Cd doping on transport, magnetotransport, and magnetic properties has been investigated in the perovskite La_1−xCd_xMnO₃ (0x0.5) systems. The ρ(T) curves exhibit a sharp metal insulator transition (T_p1), which is close to paramagnetic to ferromagnetic transition (T_c) obtained from M−T curves for all samples. In addition, ρ(T) curves for Cd doped samples exhibit another broad transition (T_P2) below T_p1. This transition becomes more prominent and the transition temperature (T_p2) shifts to lower temperature with increasing Cd content. Such double peak behavior in the ρ(T) curve is attributed to the phase separation between the ferromagnetic metallic phases and the ferromagnetic insulating phases induced by the electronic inhomogeneity in the samples.     

Coexisting antiferromagnetism and ferromagnetism in mechanically alloyed Fe-rich Fe–Ni alloys: implications regarding the Fe–Ni phase diagram below 400°C

Fe–Ni alloys below the Invar region with compositions Fe_100−xNi_x (x=21, 24, and 27 at%) were prepared by high-energy ball milling technique (mechanical alloying). The as-milled samples, characterized by X-ray diffraction and Mössbauer spectroscopy, contain a mixture of (BCC) and γ (FCC) phases, whereas the samples annealed at 650°C for 0.5 h show a single γ (FCC) phase displaying a single line Mössbauer spectrum at room temperature (RT). At low temperature, the Mössbauer spectra of annealed Fe₇₆Ni₂₄ and Fe₇₃Ni₂₇ alloys show the existence of a magnetically split pattern together with a broad singlet, which are ascribed to a high-moment ferromagnetic Ni-rich phase and a low-moment Fe-rich phase, respectively. The Fe-rich phase in annealed Fe₇₆Ni₂₄ alloy, which is paramagnetic at RT, undergoes antiferromagnetic ordering at 40 K, estimated from the dramatic line broadening of its spectrum, giving rise to a small hyperfine field (e.g. 2 T at 6 K). The coexistence of these phases is attributed to phase segregation occurring in these alloys as a result of enhanced atomic diffusion. The stability of these alloys towards martensitic (FCC→BCC) transformation at low temperatures is discussed in connection with the Fe–Ni phase diagram below 400°C.     

NMR relaxation of protons in tissues and other macromolecular water solutions

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) longitudinal (T₁) and transverse (T₂) relaxation parameters have been evaluated for protein solutions, cellular suspensions and tissues using both data from our laboratory and the extensive literature. It is found that this data can be generalized and explained in terms of three water phases: free water, hydration water, and crystalline water. The proposed model which we refer to as the FPD model differs from similar models in that it assumes that free and hydration water are two phases with distinct relaxation times but that T₁ = T₂ in each phase. In addition there is a single correlation time for each rather than a distribution as assumed in most other models. Longitudinal decay is predicted to be single exponent in character resulting from a fast exchange between the free and hydration compartments. Transverse decay is predicted to be multiphasic with crystalline (T₂ 10 μsec), hydration (T₂ 10 sec) and free (T₂ 100 sec) water normally visible. The observed or effective transverse relaxation times for both the hydration and free water phases are greatly affected by the crystalline phase and are much shorter than the inherent relaxation times.